Zambia is a landlocked southern African nation recognized for its safari zones and the numerous wildlife that lives there.
Victoria Falls is in proximity, as is the vantage level of the Victoria Falls Bridge. All of it sounds so fascinating, however:
Are you able to fly drones in Zambia?
The Zambia Civil Aviation Authority grants entry to drones in Zambia, however industrial pilots should have a distant license by means of ZCAA. Pilots should even be registered, obtain flight approval, and observe all ZCAA guidelines when working their drones.
When you’ve deliberate a visit to Zambia quickly and are fascinated with taking your drone alongside, this text is for you.
Forward, we’ll focus on how one can convey your drone into the nation, licensing and registration, and the ZCAA’s legal guidelines in full.
» MORE: Can You Fly a Drone in Victoria Falls?
Let’s start!
Bringing your drone to Zambia
Earlier than mapping out your drone flight plans, it’s essential to get your UAV to Zambia first. You’ll be able to transport the unmanned plane by aircraft into South Africa.
We advocate packing your drone in a bag designed for carrying plane.
A free backpack or duffel bag offers the drone an excessive amount of room to maneuver round. Even in case you fastidiously wrap the drone in t-shirts or different gentle supplies, it may possibly nonetheless incur injury on the aircraft.
You additionally shouldn’t attempt to stuff a drone right into a tight-fitting suitcase or briefcase, as that may hurt its elements!
Buy a bag that fits the airline’s standards for checked baggage or a carry-on.
When you don’t have your drone close by you in your flight to Zambia (or wherever, actually), you possibly can’t assure it received’t get broken and even stolen.
Zambia permits as much as 15 digital gadgets on its airways.
You too can journey with lithium batteries rated for 100 watt-hours, maintaining them in your carry-on or checked baggage.
Take away the batteries out of your drone earlier than you board the aircraft.
Are you able to fly drones in Zambia?
The Zambia Civil Aviation Authority establishes the principles for drone flights in Zambia. In keeping with ZCAA, you’re allowed to fly a drone in Zambia in case you observe the nation’s drone utilization pointers.
Drone pilots want three paperwork earlier than launching: an RPAS Pilot’s License, a Certificates of Registration, and a Distant Pilot Plane Letter of Approval.
Let’s go over the three necessities now.
RPAS Pilot’s License
The ZCAA points Distant Pilot Licenses to qualifying industrial pilots in Zambia. This isn’t in contrast to how the FAA does the identical in the USA.
You have to be no less than 18 years outdated to take the qualifying examination.
Additional, it’s essential to have a adequate understanding of English (one of many languages spoken in South Africa), being able to writing, talking, and comprehending it.
You should additionally ship in a medical report. Acquiring the Distant Pilot License requires you to cross a number of checks, however when you do, you’re one step nearer to flying a drone in Zambia.
Certificates of Registration
Earlier than making use of in your license, it’s essential to have a Certificates of Registration in Zambia.
You’ll be able to register your drone earlier than your journey, and ideally, it’s best to. This manner, if it takes longer than anticipated in your registration to undergo, you received’t need to sweat it.
Distant Pilot Plane Letter of Approval
Lastly, it’s essential to contact the ZCAA and request a Distant Pilot Plane Letter of Approval.
You’ll probably have to supply background info to ZCAA to earn the approval, together with your title and make contact with info, your deliberate flight places, how lengthy you’ll be in Zambia, while you plan to fly, and the way lengthy you’ve flown drones.
You’ll additionally most likely need to submit info in your UAV, together with its producer, make and mannequin, weight, and different specs. You would possibly want to incorporate photographs of the drone.
The Distant Pilot Plane Letter of Approval will element the place you should use your drone throughout your journey to Zambia.
Zambia drone legal guidelines to recollect in your journey
Even with ZCAA approval, it’s essential to nonetheless observe the civil aviation authority’s guidelines and pointers when working a drone.
Right here is an summary of what it is advisable know.
You should have a fireproof license plate
One of the crucial convincing causes to register your drone in Zambia lengthy earlier than your journey is that you simply’ll have to supply a fireproof license plate in your drone when you arrive.
The plate should embrace your drone registration and your nationality.
The plate should have black letters and a white background.
Your drone should meet the load requirement thresholds when utilizing it privately
When you make use of your drone for personal use, aka leisure flying, it can not exceed 1.5 kilograms or 3.3 kilos. At that time, you possibly can now not fly it for interest functions.
When you personal a group of drones, convey your lightest UAV to Zambia so you should use it as regular.
You should convey security tools
You’re required to have a hearth extinguisher and first help equipment in your proximity when working a drone in Zambia.
This stuff are in your security and the protection of others round you.
You can not function a drone at night time
Plan your days in Zambia properly, getting your fill of drone time then. As soon as the solar goes down and till it rises once more, you’re prohibited from flying your UAV.
You can not launch or land a drone on public roads
You need to use many surfaces in Zambia to launch or land a drone, however public roads are usually not one in all them.
On that observe, you shouldn’t launch or land a UAV from personal property both.
You can not use your drone in delicate areas
Zambia defines delicate areas as vital nationwide amenities, crime scenes, police stations, prisons, and/or nuclear energy crops.
Map out these places utilizing a drone app and do your finest to keep away from them when having fun with your drone.
Stay 50 meters from buildings, public roads, and other people
You additionally should carefully monitor your distance from buildings and public roads when working your UAV. ZCAA doesn’t allow pilots to fly any nearer than 50 meters to those websites.
Additional, it’s essential to keep 50 meters from folks, whether or not people or these gathered in a crowd.
Don’t fly inside 10 kilometers of an airport
Zambia drone regulation extends to airports to safeguard manned plane.
You can not fly your drone inside 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles of an airport on this nation. A drone map ought to make it easier to discover airports all through Zambia.
The complete checklist of airports within the nation is as follows:
- Zambezi Airport (serving Zambezi)
- Solwezi Airport (serving Solwezi)
- Sesheke Airport (serving Sesheke)
- Ngoma Airport (serving Ngoma)
- Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Worldwide Airport (serving Ndola)
- Mongu Airport (serving Mongu)
- Mfuwe Airport (serving Mfuwe)
- Mbala Airport (serving Mbala)
- Mansa Airport (serving Mansa)
- Lusaka Metropolis Airport (serving Lusaka)
- Kenneth Kaunda Worldwide Airport (serving Lusaka)
- Lukulu Airport (serving Lukulu)
- Luanshya Airport (serving Luanshya)
- Harry Mwanga Nkumbula Worldwide Airport (serving Livingstone)
- Southdowns Airport (serving Kitwe)
- Kasama Airport (serving Kasama)
- Kasaba Bay Airport (serving Kasaba Bay)
- Kaoma Airport (serving Kaoma)
- Kalabo Airport (serving Kalabo)
- Milliken Airport (serving Kabwe)
- Chipata Airport (serving Chipata)
- Kasompe Airport (serving Chingola)
Don’t exceed the really helpful horizontal distance
The ZCAA grants drone pilots the liberty to fly 500 meters horizontally, however not more than that. When you preserve going, you’ll be past your visible line of sight.
You should have insurance coverage
You higher have your drone insured earlier than you fly it in Zambia! We couldn’t discover any particular drone insurance coverage totals required, so we advocate contacting the ZCAA and asking.
Don’t fly over 120 meters
The max charge of ascension your drone can acquire in Zambia is 120 meters, roughly 393 ft.
FAA Half 107 Distant Pilot Take a look at Prep
Peltier has fairly the expertise, making him certified to show about pictures and drones in separate programs. He was part of the U.S. Air Drive as an F-15E flight teacher for a decade.
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Zambia, a South African nation, permits drones based on ZCAA guidelines. Industrial pilots should receive a Distant Pilot License to fly.
Pilots additionally require a Certificates of Registration and Distant Pilot Plane Letter of Approvalfrom ZCAA earlier than taking off.
It’s best to register your drone in Zambia earlier than arrival to make sure you get all of your I’s dotted and T’s crossed in time. Bear in mind additionally to observe all of the ZCAA’s drone legal guidelines. Have enjoyable and protected travels!
